Rule 48.Juries and Jury Verdicts

Chapter VI: Trials · Not amended since adoption on record · Last verified July 14, 2026

In one sentenceRule 48 fixes jury size and the vote needed for a verdict in Mississippi civil cases — twelve jurors, with at least nine agreeing, in circuit and chancery court, and six jurors, with at least five agreeing, in county court — on top of whatever alternates Rule 47 allows.

Full Text of Rule 48

Text sizeJump to: (a) (b)

(a) Circuit and Chancery Courts. Jurors in circuit and chancery court actions shall consist of twelve persons, plus alternates as provided by Rule 47(d). A verdict or finding of nine or more of the jurors shall be taken as the verdict or finding of the jury.

(b) County Court. Juries in county court actions shall consist of six persons, plus alternates as provided by Rule 47(d). A verdict or finding of five or more of the jurors shall be taken as the verdict or finding of the jury.

Plain-English Summary

Rule 48(a) sets circuit and chancery court juries at twelve members, plus any alternates seated under Rule 47(d), and treats a verdict or finding as valid once nine or more of those jurors agree. Civil juries in Mississippi do not need unanimity the way criminal juries do; a decisive but non-unanimous vote is enough to produce a binding verdict.

Rule 48(b) sets a smaller jury for county court: six members, again plus any alternates under Rule 47(d), with a verdict or finding valid once five or more jurors agree. The proportional relationship holds across both court levels — roughly three-quarters of the panel carries the verdict either way.

Rule 48 does only one job, but it is a foundational one: it tells everyone in the courtroom exactly how many jurors must sit and how many must agree before a jury's decision becomes legally binding, leaving the separate mechanics of jury selection to Rule 47 and the form of the verdict itself to Rule 49.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do all twelve jurors have to agree for a verdict in Mississippi circuit or chancery court?

No. Rule 48(a) only requires nine or more of the twelve jurors to agree for their verdict or finding to count as the jury's decision.

How many jurors sit on a county court civil jury?

Rule 48(b) sets county court juries at six persons, plus any alternates seated under Rule 47(d), with agreement of five or more needed for a valid verdict.

Does Rule 48 apply to criminal trials as well?

No. Rule 48 is part of the Mississippi Rules of Civil Procedure and addresses jury size and verdict thresholds in civil actions in circuit, chancery, and county court.

Where do alternate jurors fit into the numbers set by Rule 48?

Rule 48 fixes the size of the regular jury panel — twelve in circuit and chancery court, six in county court — while Rule 47(d) separately governs how one or two alternates can be added to that panel.

Which Mississippi trial courts use a six-person jury under Rule 48?

County court. Circuit and chancery court juries consist of twelve persons under Rule 48(a).

Source & verification. Rule text and Advisory Committee Notes are reproduced verbatim from the Mississippi Rules of Civil Procedure, adopted by the Supreme Court of Mississippi. Last verified July 14, 2026. · Official source

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